Efficient tools can save time and nerve, plus they often improve the quality of your work.
In this section I am introducing all tools and utilities that help me do electronics and documenting what I do.
Creating Great Schematics
Here is an example: I use the free KiCAD software to draw schematics (so KiCad definitely is a mention in my software category). While KiCAD is an excellent software for doing schematics, once you want to export them to file, there are severe limitations: all you can do is “plot” the entire schematics page to SVG vector image.
If you just want a hi-res png schematics image file, a lot of post-processing steps are needed. I automated them with the help of PowerShell and created a PowerShell module with all the necessary commands to crop the excessive whitespace, replace it by a margin, optionally add a solid color background, and then convert the svg file to a hi-res PNG.
Comments
Please do leave comments below. I am using utteran.ce, an open-source and ad-free light-weight commenting system.
Here is how your comments are stored
Whenever you leave a comment, a new github issue is created on your behalf.
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All comments become trackable issues in the Github Issues section, and I (and you) can follow up on them.
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There is no third-party provider, no disrupting ads, and everything remains transparent inside github.
Github Users Yes, Spammers No
To keep spammers out and comments attributable, all you do is log in using your (free) github account and grant utteranc.es the permission to submit issues on your behalf.
If you don’t have a github account yet, go get yourself one - it’s free and simple.
If for any reason you do not feel comfortable with letting the commenting system submit issues for you, then visit Github Issues directly, i.e. by clicking the red button Submit Issue at the bottom of each page, and submit your issue manually. You control everything.
Discussions
For chit-chat and quick questions, feel free to visit and participate in Discussions. They work much like classic forums or bulletin boards. Just keep in mind: your valued input isn’t equally well trackable there.
(content created Feb 27, 2024)